Aeroplane



W,- C. HIGLEY.

AEROPLANE. APPLICATION HL'ED NOV. 5.1911 V 1,305,466. PatentedJune 3,1919.

- ZSHEETS-SHEETI.

IN VEN THE W; C. HIGLEY.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1911..

1,305,466. Psi-tented June 3,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w I's lillil INVENTUH construction selected is illustrated WALTER c. HIGLEY, or ronnno, OHIO.

AEROPL ANE.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented J une 3,1919,

Application filed November 5, 1917. Serial No. 200,474.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER C. HIGLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a. certain new and useful Aeroplane; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will ena'ble others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to aeroplanes and it has for its object to produce an eflicient controlling mechanism for aeroplanes. 1

It particularly has for its object to provide a new and improved elevating means, also new and improved rudder means and means for controlling the elevator and rudder means. .It also has for its object toprovide automatic means for giving stability to the aeroplane, the ailerons being controlled by the gravitational pull or the weight of the chassis of the aeroplane.

The invention may be continued. in difi'erent forms of air ship constructions. II have selected one of such constructions as an example and shall describeit hereinafter. The

p in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top view of the aeroplane. Fig. 2 is a front end view of the aeroplane and Fig. 3 is-a side View of the same. Fig. 4 is an illustration tr the elevator and rudders. Fig. 5 is, a diagram matical illustration showing the means for controlling the elevator and the rudder mechanism, Fig. 6 is an illustration of a part of the mechanism for operating the rudders and the elevators.

1 and 2 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are the upper and lower planes respective of the aeroplane. 3 is the body or chassis of the aeroplane. & is the elevator and 5 is the rudder.

In the front end of the aeroplane is located the drivers seat 6 in front of which are supported pedal members 7 for conframe 12 that may be formed of a pair of bent rods and secured in position by a link member 13 and the casting 14. The cage 11 is provided with a. suitable engaging ring so 15 into which the foot may be inserted in order to operate the pedal member 7 either I to shift the pedal member '7 along the cross bar 8, or to move the cage 11 along the.

firame 12. The, pedal member 7 is pivoted on a pin 16 that passes through the casting .14 and is secured to the floor inv front of the seat 6 of the aeroplane. Each pedal member is connected to one of the rudders '5 by means of a cable 17 and the arm 18.

cable 17 is connected to each arm 18 and passes over suitable pulleys 19 to transmit the movements of the arms 18 induced by the feet of the operator to the rudders.

Two rudders are provided and are connected through pins 20 to the cables 17 Each rudder is formed of two parts 21 and 22, that are hinged together by means of the hinges 23. The rudder parts 22 are co1inected to arms 24 which pivot upon vertical rods 25 so that when the pins 20 are moved --rearwardly the arms 24 not only cause the Y idly secured to the frame of the aeroplane.

The rods 25 are connected together by the cross bars 26 and are braced to the central section of the elevator 4 by means of the tension members-27. The rods 25 are also secured in position by means of the eye members that are secured also to the cen tral section of the elevator. By this means, the rods 25 are rigidly maintained with reference to the frame of theaeroplane and thus are able to maintain the strains to which the rudders 5 are subjected. The parts 21 of each rudder are formed of two connected sections, one of the sections being located above the central section of the elevator, while the other section lies below the elevator. The two sections of the part 21 of each rudder are connected together by form a drag or brake upon the aeroplane but they may be used for purposes of steering for which they are also primarily de- Tn order to operate either rudder to direct the aeroplane in the proper direction, one or the other of the pedal members 7 may be operated by lateral movements to steer the aeroplane to the right or the left, in the manner well known in the art. The pedal members not only operate the rudders but also operate the elevator. The pedal members being connected to the cross bar 8 through the cages 11 may be manipulated so as to shift the cross bar 8 lengthwise of the aeroplane by moving the cages 11 back and forth along the frame 12. The cross bar 8 is returned to its normal position and is yieldingly held at an intermediate .pointalong the frame 12 by means of springs 58 located on arod 59 that may be secured to the flooring in front of the seat 6. The cross bar 8 is connected at its ends to the cables which .pass over suitable pulleys 31 to the parts of the elevator. \Vhen the cross bar 8 is shifted toward the seat of the aeroplane, the elevator operates to lift the rear end of the aeroplane and so as to direct the aeroplane downward. When the cross bar 8 is shifted away from the seat of the aeroplane,

the aeroplane is directed in the opposite direction.

The cables 30 are connected to rods 32 that are connected to the forward section 33 of the elevator, so that when the cross bar 8 is shifted rearward, the rods 32 operate to tilt the front section 33 of the elevator upward, the front section of the elevators 33 being hinged to the central section which is rigidly connected to the frame of the aeroplane. The rods 32 are connected to rods 34.- by means of tension members 35. The rods 34 are secured to the rear sections 36 of the elevator which are also hinged to the central section. The forward and rear sections 33 and 36 of the elevator are also 1 connected together by rods 37 and tension members 38. These sections 33 and 36 being thus connected together by rods 32, 37 and 34 that extend vertically from the surfaces of the sections and by the tension members and 38 form a yielding interconnecting means which holds the parts together under a tension and permits slight variation in position of the sections 33 and 36 which however, is yieldingly resistant and gives some elasticity in the relation of the front and rear sections to the central section of the elevator. \Vhen therefore the operator operates the rudders to cause the aeroplane to turn, the turning and forward movement of the pedal causes the dip of the leading corner of the section 33 and the rise of the following corner of the section 36. Also backward movement of the cage of the pedal will cause the opposite action on the leading and following corners of the sections on the side edge of the elevator. This is accomplished by a slight relative turning movement of the cross-bar 8 that connectthe cages together by the pins 9 and slot 10. The sections by the nature of their structure are elastic and yieldingly resists such movement. Also by this interconnection when the front section 33 of the elevator is raised, the rear section 36 is lowered, and when the front section is lowered the rear section is raised. These movements are accomplished by the movements of the cages 11 of the pedal members 7.

Also by my invention is provideda means whereby the stability of the aeroplane is increased and the balancing of the aeroplane is automatically accomplished. The upper planes 1 on each side of the chassis may be provided" with curved flaring ends 40 that extend downward from the planes 1 toward the body of the aeroplane. The planes 1 are strengthened by suitable rods 41 which partake of the curved formation of the surfaces 40. The planes 1 are hinged by means of the rod 12 that passes through the strengthening members 41 of .the planes 1. The planes 1 are also connected to the planes 2 by means of suitable tension and compression members in the manner well known in the art. Thus the planes 1 and 2 are securely connected together, while the chassis 3 is pivotally supported by the planes 1 and 2 through the rod 42.

A rod eel is secured to the chassis 3 at one end and is connected to a transverse rod by means of a pin 46 that passes through a slot formed in the end of the rod 4%. The rod 42 also passes through the rod 14 so that the rod 44: is turned on the rod 12 by movement of the chassis relative to the planes 1 and 2. The rod 45 extends over the curved portions 40 of the planes 1 and beneath the top surface of the planes 1 The rod is connected at its ends to links l7 which are connectedin turn to rods 48 that extend downward from the ailerons 49 that form the tips of the planes 1. The rods l8 extend substantially perpendicularly from the under surface of the tips 49. Movement of the side of the chassis or body 3. The slots of the brackets 52, and the pins in the ends of the rods 50 are located at substantially.

the same vertical distance below the rod 42 that the pin 46 located in the rod 45 is above the rod 42, so that the rods 50 are moved to the right 01- left substantially the same distances that the rod 45 is moved by the movement of the chassis 3 relative to the planes 1 and 2. The rods 50 are connected to links 53 which are in turn connected to vertical rods 54 that are secured to ailerons 55 that form the tips'of the planes 2. The tips 49 and 55 are also connected together by suitable struts or compression members in order that the tips 49 and 55 on each end of the plane may move together.

Movement of the chassis 3 to the right relative to the planes 1 and 2 will move the rod 45 to the left and the rods 50 tothe right. This will cause the rods 45 and 50 to lower the tips 49 and 55 at the right end of the aeroplane and to raise the tips 49 and at the left end of the aeroplane. If, then,

the planes are tilted with reference to the chassis, lowering of the right end of the planes will cause the tips at that end to be lowered which will cause the tips to engage the air and readjust the position of the planes. The same movement causes the tips on the left side to be raised and the air striking the upper surfaces of the planes cotipcrates to return the planes to their normal positions, the same results are obtained if the planes are tilted in the opposite direction. By this means the stability of the aeroplane is increased and it is automatically kept balanced during its movement through the air.

In order to permit free movement of the planes relative to the chassis the propellers 56 are supported in frames 57 that are secured to the chassis. Also the rudders and the elevator are secured to the chassis 3. By. this arrangement, the planes support the rest of the structure of the aeroplane through the rod 42 which pivotally connects the planes with the rest of the structure of the aeroplane.

The movements of the planes relative to the chassis are also guided by the curved rods 61 which are attached to the lower planes 2. The rods 61 pass through brackets 62 that are attached to the chassis. The brackets 62 may be. provided with guide rollers 63 for permitting free movements of the rods 61 through the brackets.

for pivotally moving a section of each rud-j' der about axes located on one side of the rudders and on the side opposite'to that to which the other rudder is located, and lo cated short distances from the outside surfaces of the rudders.

3. In an aeroplane, a pair of rudders, each rudder formed of two pivotally con nected sections, means for maintaining a section of each rudder parallel to the, corresponding section'of'the other rudder, a pairof rods located in proximity to the point of connection of the sections of the ruddersand on the outside of the pair of rudders and at a short distance from the said rudders, brackets connecting sections of the rudders to the rods for pivotal movement of the sections other than those maintained in a constant parallel relation.

4. In an aeroplane, an elevator having three sections, means for operating the leading and following sections conjointly, a pair of rudders pivotally supported on the central section and extending above and below the central section and the following section of the elevator.

5. In an aeroplane, an elevator having three sections, means for operating the leading and following sections conjointly. a pair of rudders pivotally supported on the central section and extending above and below the central section and the following section of the elevator, a pair of longitudinally movable and rotatable pedals connected to the elevator and the rudders for operating the elevator and the rudders.

6. In an aeroplane, an elevator and a pair of rudders, a pedal connected to each rudder, the elevator connected to the pedals for operating one or both rudders and the elevator.

In an aeroplane, an elevator formed of leading and following sections, pedals, means connecting the bottom and top sides of the sections'together and to the pedals for warping the leading section.

8. In an aeroplane, an elevator formed of leading and following sections, pedals, means connecting the bottom and top sides of the sections together and to the pedals for warping the leading section, rudders connected to the pedals.

' 9. In an aeroplane, an elevator having three sections. means for operating the leading and followingsections conjointly, the

independently operating the side edges of the sections.

11. In an aeroplane, a pair of rudders and an elevator, a pair of rotatable pedals con nected to the rudders, the pedal having a member movable longitudinally along the pedal to and fromthe axis of the pedal and connected to the elevator at points located on opposite sides of the axis of the aeroplane.

12. In an aeroplane, an elevator, a pair of rudders, a pedal connected to each rudder, each pedal having a member movable longitudinally along the pedal and connected to the elevator at points located on opposite sides of the center line of the aeroplane.

13. In an aeroplane, an elevator, a pair of rudders, a pedal connected to each rudder,

each pedalhaving a member movable longitudinally along the pedal, a cross bar con- "nected to the movable members, the ends of the cross bar connected to the elevator at pointslocated on opposite sides of the center line of the aeroplane.

14. In an aeroplane, an elevator, a pair of rudders, a rotatable pedal connected to each rudder, the pedal having a cage movable longitudinally from the axis of rotation of the pedal, across bar connecting the cages by pin and slots.

15. In an aeroplane, a rudder formed of two parts pivotally connected together and normally located substantially in the same plane, the following part supported for pivotal movements about an axis located outside of the plane of the following part.

16. In an aeroplane, a pair of rudders, each rudder formed of two parts pivotally connected together and normally located substantially in the same plane, the following parts supported for pivotal movements about axes located outside of the planes of the leading parts, means for longitudinally shifting the leading parts to turn the following parts out of the plane of the leading parts.

17. In an aeroplane, a pair of rudders-located side by side and in substantially parallel planet, means for pivotally moving the rudders about axes located on opposite sides and on the outside of the planes of the rudders and slightly removed from the rudders.

18. In an aeroplane, a pair of rudders, a pair of vertical rods located on the outside of the rudders, brackets secured to the rudders and pivoted on the rods, the rudders and brackets located between the rods.

19. In an aeroplane, an elevator and a pair of rudders, a pair of longitudinal and transversely movable pedal members connected to the elevator and rudders for operation of the elevator when the pedal members are moved longitudinally and to operate the rudders when the pedal members are moved transversely.

20. In an aeroplane, an elevator, a pair of rudders, a pair of pedal members mounted for longitudinal and transverse movements, each pedal member connected to a rudder and to the elevatorfor-moving one or both rudders in either direction-and for moving the outer rear ends of the elevator in the same or opposite direction.

21. In an aeroplane, an elevator formed of leading and following sections, the following section formed in two parts, rods extending at right angles from the leading section and from the parts of the following section, means for connecting the rods for warp1ng...the leading sectlon and for tilting 

